Potterton Kingfisher ignition problem

[Silchester]

Hello all,
We recently moved to a new home (a 1950s house with 2 pin plugs.....previously unoccupied for a few months) with a Potterton Kingfisher Mf CFL 80, 7 years old. Ignition sequence proceeds normally, the pilot lights, then sparking continues and the green LED fails to light. The main burner wont come on. I called out a local serviceman, who came and diagnosed a PCB failure, and was going to charge Euro 280 (stg 240) for the part. So I bought it myself and installed, but same problem persists. I also put in a new electrode but no change to the problem. Reading the forum (and the manual) I am thinking the problem might be the pilot injector (?) or maybe poor earthing on the boiler. The wiring in the house is ancient. How would I check the earthing? Any other suggestions? I don't know how to identify an experienced potterton serviceman in the locality, and don't want to call out another 'cowboy'. thanks in advance.

 

[Dan Robinson]

This is a problem for a registered gas installer. Try and find one that isn't a cowboy.

And if it is what I think it is, it won't be cheap.

 

[Agile]

You seem to have called an engineer to diagnose the problem and give you a quote without paying him when all along you intended to repair it yourself!

I see that as you cheating him! Its you who are the cowboy or more appropriately the robber!

I am pleased that you have wasted your money buying a part that has not fixed your problem! That serves you right ! Quite possibly the engineer realised what you were doing and told you the wrong part. Sometimes we have to do that to avoid being cheated.

Its to avoid that situation that I always charge to diagnose a fault. Then the customer can decide to let me repair it, get someone else or do it himself.

Only a registered boiler engineer should be changing gas/combustion parts such as the ignition electrodes. We dont give DIY gas advice on this forum.

Tony

 

[bell824]

fyi to have the boiler fixed normally means employing someone experianced in doing so!! and during his employment by yourself paying what he is owed.

As for the problem with your boiler yes it does sound like it could be fixed and if the wiring in the house is not up to standard this should also be looked at.

Remember again this normally requires you to employ an electician and again involves paying wages!!

i would suggest the next time you want to ask experianced tradesmen for their highly skilled advice you should maybe think about paying the one's you ripped of first!!!!!

 

[misterdubya]

I don't know how to identify an experienced potterton serviceman in the locality, and don't want to call out another 'cowboy'.

Charming!

The manufacturers have their own in house repairmen / women.

Use them - look up Potterton on this ere interweb thingy.

 

[Agile]

I don't know how to identify an experienced potterton serviceman in the locality, and don't want to call out another 'cowboy'. thanks in advance.

You are the cowboy!

You called him with the sole purpose of getting a free diagnosis when you obviously intended to try to do the repair yourself.

You continued your attempts to repair the boiler by changing the ignition electrode which you should not be touching.

There are a very few cowboy engineers but also many cowboy customers!

 

[Silchester]

I am taken aback with the response!
I would like to humbly clarify a couple of things: I asked the serviceman to come to fix the problem: it was only when I thought the cost of fixing the problem seemed exhorbitant, I looked up getting a part myself: then it seemed that changing a PCB would be achievable. I bought the electrode at the same time because the 'fault finding' guide in the manual points to it as a possible problem. I wasn't aware that chaning the electrode was a no-go area for a non-specialist. I have no intention of not paying the serviceman for his visit and his diagnosis! I am figuring I need specialist help allright but you can't blame someone for wanting to figure out a problem and understand their boiler better.........

 

[Dan Robinson]

Perhaps we're just fed up with the continual references to Cowboys in our industry. I have come across far more time wasting customers over the years than I have dodgy tradesmen.

 

[Agile]

I asked the serviceman to come to fix the problem: it was only when I thought the cost of fixing the problem seemed exhorbitant, I looked up the cost of the part.

I have no intention of not paying the serviceman for his visit and his diagnosis!

That seems amazing!

You call this "serviceman" and apparently dont check his charges before he comes.

You then decide that his charges are "exhorbitent" but without any evidence of what the normal charges are. You DONT pay him and then set about trying to repair the boiler yourself based on HIS ( unpaid for ) diagnosis!

You tell us that "you have no intention of not paying him".

In that case just when are you going to pay him?

Why did you not pay him when he came?

I cringe at your apparent view that "servicemen" are ignorant louts who dont deserve any significant payment! Or in your case any payment at all !

My solicitor charges £340 plus vat per hour and thats in her office! My dentist about the same but he is in the country. Is that exhorbitent?

If I do a boiler repair it usually takes about three hours including travelling time. Just how much do you think that I should be paid?

There is no problem if you want to understand how a boiler works. But there is a problem calling someone out, refusing to pay him and then telling us "I have no intention of not paying him".

Tony

 

[Silchester]

I seem to have hit a raw nerve allright.
As a householder you only have to have one bad experience for it to make you very wary. In fact, I shouldn't be wasting my time reading manuals or trying to fix problems myself but its a way of guarding against the suspicion when you are afraid of being ripped off. From the replies I can see that you chaps are equally wary of time wasting and meddling amateurs. I call a truce! I might have to sign in again in a few weeks with the same query and see how I get on. But beware I shall be disguised! (PS the serviceman wasn't great: broken plastic lugs on the boiler front panel, a loose screw left under the PCB, and the front panel on the combustion chamber put back on wrong: unprofessional I would say. I had a receipt for a previous PCB replacement so I knew the price). pps the Potterton Heat Team doesn't extend this far unfortunately.
Thanks for the helpful comments.

 

[Agile]

I dont see anything that you have said to justify not paying him and then going on to use his diagnosis to try to fix your boiler yourself.

Plastic boiler parts often break when opening because the plastic goes brittle with age.

I still take the view that anyone who calls a "serviceman" out should pay for his services.

As for anyone who intends NOT to pay then he is a robber!

 

[bell824]

also incase you didn't realise there is a hidden forum for people like you not to access,
the reason is we can look out for multiple people like you trying to blag free advice without taking the proper due care and attention.
look forward to your reply's in a few weeks bet there will be very few!!!!!!!!

 

[John Pederson]

you are exactly the reason why i don't give advice to the public, i am glad you have wasted your money{or have you?) i really hope you waste lots more!
jp

 

[bengasman]

I called out a local serviceman, who came and diagnosed a PCB failure, and was going to charge Euro 280 (stg 240) for the part. So I bought it myself and installed, but same problem persists.

Chances are you blew the new board by installing incorrectly, serves you right for ripping an engineer off.
How dare you call him a cowboy, when you are the one that happily uses somebody's expertese, time and tools without paying him.

The board costs about half of the quoted amount, which leaves about 70 euros for coming over and finding the fault, and 70 euros to get it and fit it; a very reasonable amount.

 

[lawrance]

Hello all,
We recently moved to a new home (a 1950s house with 2 pin plugs.....previously unoccupied for a few months) with a Potterton Kingfisher Mf CFL 80, 7 years old. Ignition sequence proceeds normally, the pilot lights, then sparking continues and the green LED fails to light. The main burner wont come on. I called out a local serviceman, who came and diagnosed a PCB failure, and was going to charge Euro 280 (stg 240) for the part. So I bought it myself and installed, but same problem persists. I also put in a new electrode but no change to the problem. Reading the forum (and the manual) I am thinking the problem might be the pilot injector (?) or maybe poor earthing on the boiler. The wiring in the house is ancient. How would I check the earthing? Any other suggestions? I don't know how to identify an experienced potterton serviceman in the locality, and don't want to call out another 'cowboy'. thanks in advance.

You ripped yourself off.......what a plonker